Château Chasse-Spleen 1975
Red wine, classic Left Bank Bordeaux blend style. · Château Chasse-Spleen, historically one of the premier Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel estates in the Médoc (now a lead member of the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois), owned for decades by the Villars-Merlaut family.
Vintage: 1975. A classic, highly heralded vintage in its youth known for producing deeply concentrated, firmly tannic wines. Today, mature bottles show tertiary development, though many 1975s remain structurally austere due to high initial tannins.
Type
Red wine, classic Left Bank Bordeaux blend style.
Producer
Château Chasse-Spleen, historically one of the premier Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel estates in the Médoc (now a lead member of the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois), owned for decades by the Villars-Merlaut family.
Country
France. Famous for its benchmark Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system, setting global standards for terroir-driven winemaking.
Vintage
1975. A classic, highly heralded vintage in its youth known for producing deeply concentrated, firmly tannic wines. Today, mature bottles show tertiary development, though many 1975s remain structurally austere due to high initial tannins.
Region & Appellation
Moulis-en-Médoc AOC, Left Bank, Bordeaux, France. Moulis is the smallest of the Left Bank communal appellations, situated inland between Margaux and St-Julien.
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon (approx. 50-55%), Merlot (approx. 35-40%), Petit Verdot (approx. 5-10%), and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet provides structure and graphite backbone, while Merlot softens the blend.
Color & Appearance
Deep garnet with a wide, brick-orange to amber rim, typical for a mature Bordeaux over four decades old.
Aroma Profile
Fully developed tertiary aromas featuring leather, cedar, dried tobacco leaf, fallen leaves, forest floor, dried red fruits, cigar box, and subtle iron/earth notes.
Tasting Notes
An aged, savory palate experience. Initial dried cherry and plum notes give way to earthy complexity, dried herbs, and graphite. Softened, resolved tannins balanced by lingering acidity, leading to a dried fruit and spice finish.
Flavor Profile
Dried cassis, leather, earth, sandalwood, dried mushrooms, old oak, pencil shavings, and savory meatiness.
Body & Texture
Medium-bodied, delicate, and fully resolved. The palate texture is smooth, dusty, and mature, with reduced fruit weight.
Acidity & Tannins
Medium-to-high fine acidity keeping the wine intact; tannins are fully integrated, soft, and slightly dusty.
Sweetness Level
Bone dry (minimal residual sugar, under 2 g/L).
Alcohol Content
Approximately 12.5% ABV, characteristic of 1970s Bordeaux vintages.
Aging & Oak
Aged approximately 12 to 18 months in French oak barrels (around 30-40% new during that era), with extensive bottle aging over 45+ years.
Food Pairings
Aged roast beef, roast lamb with rosemary, game birds, wild mushroom risotto, mature hard cheeses like Comté or Gouda.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at 16-18°C (60-64°F). Stand bottle upright for 24 hours prior to serving. Gentle decanting just before serving to remove sediment is recommended, though it should be enjoyed soon after opening to preserve delicate delicate tertiary aromas.
Price Range
$90 - $160 USD depending on auction provenance and fill level.
Quality Assessment
Historically high quality Cru Bourgeois that frequently competes with Grand Cru Classé estates inblind tastings. 88-91 points for well-stored bottles.
Production Methods
Hand-harvested grapes, traditional temperature-controlled vat fermentation, classic pump-overs, blended before barrel aging.
Terroir
Gravelly mounds over limestone and clay subsoils, offering excellent natural drainage and deep vine rooting in Moulis.
History & Heritage
Named in the 1860s, legend attributes the phrase 'Chasse-Spleen' (dispeller of melancholy/spleen) to Lord Byron or Charles Baudelaire during their visits to the region.
Interesting Facts
The name directly translates to 'Dispel the Spleen' or 'Dispeller of Melancholy,' drawing from 19th-century romantic poetry concepts of emotional angst.
Cellaring Potential
At peak to fully mature. Well-stored bottles with high fill levels should be drunk now or over the next few years.
Similar Wines
Château Poujeaux (Moulis), Château Maucaillou (Moulis), Château Sociando-Mallet (Haut-Médoc), Château Meyney (St-Estèphe).